A good social media plan will have many elements in common with a good marketing plan. For example, social media is never a campaign . And while your members are used to getting emails and brochures, they may not be ready for all the possibilities social media creates. Here is what I would put in my association's social media plan. But there are differences. For that matter, your boss and staff might not be ready either.

If you moan to 10 of your nonprofit colleagues about how you don’t have time to get your nonprofit on Facebook and other social media sites, I’d guess seven of them will tell you to get an intern to do it for you. (The If you are thinking about giving a social media project to an intern or a new employee who is a recent college grad, keep these four tips in mind. The other three? Two will just nod sympathetically and the other one will have no idea what you are talking about.)

Some new data about adults and digital social network use in the US and around the world: Adults are much less likely than teens to have a profile on a social network website. About three in ten (35%) adult internet users age 18 and older have a profile on a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn. Meanwhile, teenagers are roughly twice as likely as adults to use Despite comparatively lower levels of social network use, usage of social network sites by adults has increased markedly over the past four years. Back in February of 2005, just 8% of adult internet users had used a social network site.

Social networks are shiny and exciting. If you pass the quiz below with flying colors, you can begin the research phase associated with social networking (find out where your supporters are already spending time online; decide which medium is most appropriate for your audiences; etc.). quot; and " Determining Your Social Networking Needs "). Do you use email marketing to drive traffic back to your website? Millions of people are connecting on them every minute of the day. They're passionate and engaged. They must be ripe for the fundraising picking,

Social media is a free-flowing, wide-open phenomenon that needs to be handled and handled well. What social media-ing is ok to do at work, and what's not ok? Leads to a consistent, recognized voice online -- via your Web site, e-news and social media presence(s). Nonprofits-and-social-media So frame its use for your staff, volunteers and base. The clearer you are, the more likely it is that your org will make an impact with these tools  -- whether you're just monitoring conversation about your org via Google Alerts, have a two-pronged approach with Facebook

Yesterday I attended a workshop organized by one of my favorite bloggers (and NTC roomie) Nancy Schwartz on how you deal with branding issues for your organization within social media. Danielle says that because they are decentralizing their social media presence, they are also empowering and trusting their staff and giving them the ability to represent their own programs online without a lot of heavy handed management. The panel featured Danielle Brigida, National Wildlife Federation; Felicia Carr, National Parks Conservation Association; and Wendy Harman, American Red Cross.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Evans, author of Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day, for a social media intensive I taught recently at the Academy for Nonprofit Excellence. a social media maven and well-practiced at breaking down what often seems our ideal guide to social media. Click here to listen now or download for later listening (Right click on a PC or cntrl click on a Mac, and "save file as" to your Desktop) : Dave is

What are Social Media? Social media comprise the vast array of communications vehicles including blogs, wikis, e-mail, and social networking sites that are powered by the Internet. Social media can be best understand by what they are NOT. Social media are NOT mass media, defined by Wikipedia, as "traditional means of communication" This is also archived on the We ARE Media . In addition, social media are NOT controlled by a select group of people or organizations - think ABC or Robert Murdoch.

Championed by organizations including IDEO and the Rotman School of Management , design thinking focuses on the process for practical, creative resolution of problems or issues with an improved future result .  The future result might be a new or improved product or service, new processes or experiences for consumers or users, or new social and organizational systems. Like social marketing, design thinking starts with a human-centered approach that enables us to collectively tackle problems and ideas that are more complex than the lone designer can imagine: inaccessible healthcare,

Of all the different social media tools I’ve tried (e.g. As one article points out: “For businesses, it’s social media meets customer loyalty in a tangible and measurable way.” Foursquare is social media, but it’s also a game. Tags: Cause Tools cause marketing Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc.), a new one I just started using, Foursquare , probably has the most potential for cause marketers.